Farouk Bastaki - Kuwait Investment Authority
ERF Conference on “Arab Oil Exporters: Coping with a New Global Oil Order”
Kuwait, November 26-27, 2017
www.erf.org.eg
4. 3
History and objectives of KIA
Overview of Kuwait Investment Authority
History Objectives
Note 1. Established by Law No. 47
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
• Oldest SWF in the world, originating in 1953
• Officially established in 1982 to assume the
responsibility of managing the State’s assets
and revenue surplus from the MoF1
• Provides Kuwait with an alternative to oil-
based revenue through investment returns
• Achieves a rate of return on investments that
exceeds benchmarks on a 3-yr rolling average
• Designs and maintains asset allocation
consistent with return and risk objectives
• Participates in investment sector growth and
stay up-to-date with investment best practices
• Promotes the private sector in Kuwait without
competing in or substituting any field
1953 Today1982
Origination Official
creation
Current
operation
5. 4
Two funds with total value exceeding USD 500 BN
FUTURE
GENERATION FUND
INTERGENERATIONAL
SAVINGS FUND
TREASURER OF
THE GOVERNMENT
GENERAL
RESERVE FUND
Funds under KIA management
• Treasury and liquid fund that invests strictly in the local and MENA
market
• Acts as a stabilization fund which funds fiscal requirements
• Diversified fund that is invested strictly in international markets
• Receives annually a minimum of 10% of Kuwait’s government revenue
to invest
• No asset can be withdrawn unless sanctioned by Law
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
6. 5
Prudent, rational investment approach
Investment considerations
• Review market and
geopolitical situation
• Consider market condition
drivers, including:
– Oil price
– Interest rates
– Geopolitics
– Growth rate
Market environment
• Define basis for asset allocation
such as:
– Risk/Return trade offs
– GDP growth/demographics
– Thematic opportunities
Basis for asset
allocation
• Aim towards a specific rate of
return and risk profile
– Rate of return of ~4-6% per
annum for the next 10 years
– Risk profile of ~12%
Rate of return
Platforms
• Consider investment platform
and involved stakeholders:
– External Fund Managers
through Kuwait
– Direct dealings through
London
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
7. 6
Investing in 120 countries of which 81 (68%) are
emerging markets
2004 2017
Investment distribution by region
Past Present
Countries 37
Of which Emerging: 10
Investment allocation
(2004)
Since 2004, KIA has focused on diversification to increase returns and reduce risks through:
– Decreasing allocation in Developed Economies
– Increasing allocation in higher growth Emerging Markets
Countries 120
Of which Emerging: 81
Investment allocation
(2017)
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
8. 7
1984 1993 2001 2004 2017
KIA investment by asset class
Asset class:
Large cap equities
– Satellite
– Large/Mid/Small Cap
– Emerging Markets
Bonds
– BBB ≥
– High Yield
– Emerging Markets
– TIPS
– Convertibles
Real Estate
– Private equity
– Hedge funds
– Infrastructure
Direct Investments
– Active real estate
– Real estate funds
Cash
– Developed Markets FX
– Emerging FX
Portfolios (#)
Mandates (#)
1
2
3
4
5
Note (*): Includes 6 separate European countries equity mandates, which were subsequently consolidated due to the introduction of the euro. In addition, 3 country specific bond mandates
were merged into one global bond mandate
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
–
–
33
19*
39
20*
45
11
133
36
Investment across five asset classes
10. 9
KIA role and implications
KIA as both a treasurer of the government and intergenerational
savings fund
Treasurer of the Government Intergenerational savings fund
GENERAL RESERVE FUND
• Macro stabilizer of Kuwait’s fiscal
balance and economy
• Highly liquid buffer to act as a
shock absorber in a commodity-based
economy
• Generated income to support overall
savings account of government and future
generations on a long-term investment horizon
• Investment diversification to reduce
concentration of risk and maximize returns
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
FUTURE GENERATION FUND
11. 10
Macro stabilizer of Kuwait’s fiscal balance and economy
-5.9-6.0
-2.7
5.04.7
FY2012/13A FY2015/16A FY2016/17AFY2014/15AFY2013/14A
Government fiscal balance
KD BN, including FGF transfer, A = actual
Note: KEC = Kuwait Export Crude
Source: Ministry of Finance
Oil price
slump
Oil price
(KEC, $/bbl,
year average)
107 104 81 43 45
Treasurer of Gov’t Intergenerational fund
12. 11
Implement economic and fiscal reforms
Government’s two-step approach to address deficit, before
KIA intervention
Prongs to address deficit
16.2 17.0
19.3 18.9 17.718.2
21.4
+7%
2016/172015/162014/152013/142010/11 2011/12 2012/13
-9%
State Expenditure Actuals Evolution
KD BN, FY2010/11 to FY2016/17
Issue debt
USD 29 BN
peak book size
3.6x
oversubscribed
USD 8 BN
peak book size
- 5-yr tranche: USD 3.5 BN
- 10-yr tranche: USD 4.5 BN
300+
Investors across tranches
778 total orders in book
Kuwait’s inaugural bond issuance statistics
Savings generated
due to reforms
Source: Ministry of Finance
Lowest spreads
Amongst GCC peers
at time of issuance
Highly diverse
set of investors
Treasurer of Gov’t Intergenerational fund
13. 12
GRF finances deficit post reforms and debt
5.96.0
2.7
1.2
Reform savings
Actual deficit
FY2016/17B
7.1
FY2015/16B
6.9
0.9
FY2014/15B
3.3
0.6
Budgeted State deficits
KD BN, including FGF transfer
Source: Ministry of Finance, TSO analysis
Reform savings
KD BN
Debt (local + int’l)
KD BN
GRF drawdown
KD BN
0.6
–
2.7
0.9
–
6.0
1.2
2.23 + 2.44
1.23
Treasurer of Gov’t Intergenerational fund
14. 13
FGF asset composition and regional allocation
FGF’s global and varied asset allocation
Asset Class SAA1 mid-point
%
Equities 55.0
Fixed Income 22.5
Alternatives 10.0
Real Estate 10.0
Cash 2.5
Region SAA1 mid-point
%
North America 52.0
Europe 24.0
Asia and Japan
(incl. Emerging Asia)
19.0
Emerging markets
(excl. Emerging Asia)
5.0
Note 1. Strategic Asset Allocation
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
The KIA Board has also approved a Dynamic Asset Allocation range
for each Asset Class and Region
Treasurer of Gov’t Intergenerational fund
15. 14
KIA Assets Under Management (AUM) Evolution
KIA fund size evolution
Illustrative
Source: Kuwait Investment Authority
Nascent fund stage Post-Gulf war
Origination
of SWF
FGF inception
KIA funds have reached well above USD 500 BN through sustained transfer of
government revenue to FGF and returns from a long-term investment strategy
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20201953
Yearly transfer of 10%
of revenues to Fund
Post FGF creation in 1976
19901976
Over USD 80 BN
withdrawn
for the reconstruction after
Iraqi invasion
Total fund
size over
USD 500 BN
2017
Treasurer of Gov’t Intergenerational fund
